7 Deadly Sales Sins

With the New Year nearly upon us – it is good time to reflect on ourselves and what small, but significant changes we can make to improve our successes. With Christmas approaching – let’s consider how the 7 deadly sins can relate to us as sales professionals.

Lust

A blinding desire to win a deal, be the best sales person or get your commissions. Solely focusing on the material reward or status you receive – at any cost. Coveting success over and above how you get there

Greed

Hoarding deals, prospects or, worse, stealing them or obtaining them through treachery and manipulation from your colleagues. Similarly hoarding your knowledge or network for your own benefit.

Gluttony

Taking on more than you can handle because you want it all. Having a pipeline so burgeoning with opportunities you actually can’t maximise the value of them all. Acting selfishly within any thought to your teams members and your overall success. Being wholly consumed with ‘what’s in it for you’.

Sloth

Being lazy. Knowing what is needed to be done to achieve results and/or support your team, but not doing it. Doing the bare minimum or, worse, not even this. Scavenging for deals rather than hunting for them

Wrath

Hating your clients, your job or your employer. Depising your team members. Acting negatively, pessimistically and/or cynically all the time. Feeling ‘justified’ based on the behaviours of others and holding grudges against colleagues. Being a poor loser when not winning deals or seeing others succeed where you haven’t

Envy

Being jealous of the success of those around you rather than being motivated by it. Being so focused on those around you that you fail to succeed yourself, and seeing their success being at your expense. Rather than developing yourself to be successful, coveting those who are.

Pride

Succeeding a handful of times, and then sitting back on the plaudits. Lauding your success over those around you, rather than helping them with your expertise. Viewing yourself as the most important person and everyone can learn from you.

It is fair to say that some of these emotions may present themselves in the course of a sales person’s activity. It is expected to ‘feel’ pride when you win a significant deal. However, acting like your better than others is crossing the line. It is reasonable to take a breather after a period of sustained activity, it is crossing the line to take your foot of the throttle entirely thinking ‘you’ve done your bit’.

These sins are important as whilst we may still succeed with them present short term, we may do so at our future peril – the respect of those around us and, worse, ourselves when we reflect back.